Hot 'n' Fresh Noob - Sonora, Ca
12-04-2011, 01:19 PM
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Hot 'n' Fresh Noob - Sonora, Ca
Hey all how's it going? Recently purchased my '91 Miata. 75k on the odometer but it's definitely been abused a little, not the cleanest of cars, however the interior is in surprisingly good shape. Mostly stock as far as I know, it all looks like it visually. Lowered on some unknown springs with KYB shocks, has a roll bar and strut bar. 
I'm from Sonora, Ca in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada's, where the majority of the roads are windy and curvy as hell. I've had some fun driving it around, but had a run in with a family of deer the other night. Ended up on the shoulder which had a manzanita tree and some rocks that the Miata and I wiped out. Broken and bent some stuff, the front right tire is stuck turned toward the right. So I flat bedded it to my house and it's damage assessment time.
Can anyone tell from the pictures what exactly will need replacing? Everything looks a little bent and out of place so I cant tell exactly what is good and whats not.
Plans for the car are to fix my most recent issue and toss a new clutch in as the current one is slipping pretty bad; then either buy a used motor and mildly build it, or tear the current 1.6 out and rebuild it. A mild turbo build with some supporting mods, shooting for a rough 225-240ish whp. Different suspension and some new wheels are in order. That will all come in due time as this is now just a project vehicle, not my daily. Hopefully the wreck carnage and a new clutch will come sooner than later.
I'm from Sonora, Ca in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada's, where the majority of the roads are windy and curvy as hell. I've had some fun driving it around, but had a run in with a family of deer the other night. Ended up on the shoulder which had a manzanita tree and some rocks that the Miata and I wiped out. Broken and bent some stuff, the front right tire is stuck turned toward the right. So I flat bedded it to my house and it's damage assessment time.
Can anyone tell from the pictures what exactly will need replacing? Everything looks a little bent and out of place so I cant tell exactly what is good and whats not.
Plans for the car are to fix my most recent issue and toss a new clutch in as the current one is slipping pretty bad; then either buy a used motor and mildly build it, or tear the current 1.6 out and rebuild it. A mild turbo build with some supporting mods, shooting for a rough 225-240ish whp. Different suspension and some new wheels are in order. That will all come in due time as this is now just a project vehicle, not my daily. Hopefully the wreck carnage and a new clutch will come sooner than later.
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12-04-2011, 01:21 PM
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End link is bent, probably lower control arm too from the looks of it. Tie rood looks destroyed as well. It's all sorts of bent in there. Worse case just get a new front subframe/steering rack.
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12-04-2011, 01:40 PM
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Should I just look for a rust free used subframe and rack and toss in some new bushings while I have it out? Or is there an alternate aftermarket route I should look down that would be worth the money? I apologize for the noobiness.
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12-04-2011, 03:50 PM
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You could go tubular, but I don't see a point with your goals.
You could chance it and just swap in new control arms/endlinks + steering rack, possibly sway bar. And hope the subframe is okay.
Or swap in a whole new subframe. They are really easy to swap to be honest. 2 Days with no help if you have a good idea what you are doing and tools/time.
Looks like the bottom control arm is buckled pretty bad, the endlink is bent, the outer tie rod looks bent, shock looks okay assuming it didn't make contact with the upper control arm (looks to be touching it).
You could chance it and just swap in new control arms/endlinks + steering rack, possibly sway bar. And hope the subframe is okay.
Or swap in a whole new subframe. They are really easy to swap to be honest. 2 Days with no help if you have a good idea what you are doing and tools/time.
Looks like the bottom control arm is buckled pretty bad, the endlink is bent, the outer tie rod looks bent, shock looks okay assuming it didn't make contact with the upper control arm (looks to be touching it).
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12-04-2011, 11:15 PM
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I've found a couple part outs am waiting on responses. Am going to just buy the control arms, end link and steering rack and tie rods. Hoping that the subframe is still straight.
Also talked the roomate into letting me put all of the stuff in the garage into the basement and I can now use the garage for my car. First time having a garage, I'm pretty stoked for it.
Also talked the roomate into letting me put all of the stuff in the garage into the basement and I can now use the garage for my car. First time having a garage, I'm pretty stoked for it.
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12-04-2011, 11:42 PM
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I purchased a car in similar shape to that. Replaced the whole subframe, but gave it a good look over after pulling it and it was fine. Just needed control arms + endlink/sway bar. Good luck to you.
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12-05-2011, 10:30 PM
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Quick question, did a quick search but didn't find anything that answered my question directly. Link to a thread describing different trim packages etc? Easiest way to tell what diff I have? Interior is all cloth, non power windows and locks.
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12-22-2011, 06:44 PM
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I am going to get flamed for posting a m.net link here, but it works http://www.miata.net/garage/diffguide/index.html
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effing rust.
12-26-2011, 01:21 PM
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I hit some fine gravel and slid into a bidge at about 25mph. I hit at about a 45* angle (bridge and car) with the wheels only slightly turned (wheels closer to parallel to the curb of bridge). I just bought a driver front suspension "chunk" from the local junk yard (upper and lower arms, hub, all that) and when I installed everything the subframe was bent a little. Everything went on and its been driving ok but there are weird clunks every once in a while and issues with inner wheel weights. If I could do it over I'd just replace the sub and be done with it. Better safe than sorry hunting down stupid problems.
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12-26-2011, 01:29 PM
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I already bought end links, a steering rack and tie rods, upper and lower control arms and a new hub assembly. I'm waiting on a new shock then I'll slap it back together. Hoping the subframe is good to go. Time will tell though.
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12-26-2011, 01:49 PM
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Welcome to the forum.
Since there is really no telling what has been swapped in or out of the car, its gonna be a pain to ID the rear end. The link above tells you the many ways to try and identify it. The most fun way is to wind her up a little bit and do a donut or two. The slipping clutch wont help with this however. Also these cars are so light weight that even an open diff will lay down two solid strips and or come around donut style from time to time.
Good luck with the project, and always remember that Miata parts can be traded for deer meat.
Since there is really no telling what has been swapped in or out of the car, its gonna be a pain to ID the rear end. The link above tells you the many ways to try and identify it. The most fun way is to wind her up a little bit and do a donut or two. The slipping clutch wont help with this however. Also these cars are so light weight that even an open diff will lay down two solid strips and or come around donut style from time to time.
Good luck with the project, and always remember that Miata parts can be traded for deer meat.
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12-27-2011, 08:52 PM
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Picked up a Garrett T25 m24 ar .80/ ar. 64 which I believe to be off a SR20. Could be totally wrong, I payed next to nothing for it, and it is supposed to have been rebuilt and not run since the build. It has no shaft play and looks brand new.
Anybody know anything about this turbo? Hoping to pick up a http://www.bellengineering.net/produ...products_id=30
to go along with it. Slowly piecing together parts..
Anybody know anything about this turbo? Hoping to pick up a http://www.bellengineering.net/produ...products_id=30
to go along with it. Slowly piecing together parts..
Last edited by bikersam717; 12-28-2011 at 11:09 PM.
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